Hymns of Parting

On common type of hymn from the past (and still in the present for some) is the "parting hymn." Often such an hymn was sung while taking "the parting hand" in Baptist churches. In many churches the invitation hymn has replaced the parting hymn as the last song of a service. Maybe some of you have parting hymns that are meaningful to you. I'll start with two. First, one that is probably well known to many of you.

“Brotherly Love” by John Fawcett, Hymns Adapted to the Circumstances of Public Worship and Private Devotion, 1782

1. Blest be the tie that binds
Our hearts in Christian love;
The fellowship of kindred minds
Is like to that above.

2. Before our Father’s throne,
We pour our ardent prayers;
Our fears, our hopes, our aims are one,
Our comforts, and our cares.

3. We share our mutual woes,
Our mutual burdens bear;
And often for each other flows
The sympathizing tear.

4. When we asunder part,
It gives us inward pain;
But we shall still be joined in heart,
And hope to meet again.

The author of this hymn was a Baptist preacher. The story often told of the hymn is that Fawcett served a small church of impoverished people, then received a call to the Carter's Lane Baptist Church in London. After he had decided to accept the call and had preached his farewell sermon, he and his wife changed their minds. They could not leave. He wrote the words of "Blest Be the Tie that Binds" based on the tie that bound them there.

It is most commonly sung to the tune DENNIS, but I really like THE CHRISTIANS LOVE tune with it (not that I don't like DENNIS).

 

And here is probably my most favorite parting hymn of all time.

The Parting Hand, words usually attributed to John Blain, 1818 (some of the wording varies in different books)

1. My Christian friends, in bonds of love,
Our hearts in sweetest union prove;
Your friendship's like a drawing band,
Yet we must take the parting hand.
Your presence sweet, your union dear,
Your words delightful to my ear;
And when I see that we must part,
You draw like cords around my heart.

2. How sweet the hours have passed away,
When we have met to sing and pray;
How loath we are to leave the place
Where Jesus shows His smiling face.
Oh, could I stay with friends so kind,
How would it cheer my drooping mind!
But duty makes me understand
That we must take the parting hand.

3. And since it is God's holy will,
We must be parted for awhile,
In sweet submission all in one,
We'll say, "Our Father's will be done."
My youthful in Christian ties,
Who seek for mansions in the skies,
Fight on, you'll win the happy shore,
Where parting will be known no more.

4. How oft I've seen the flowing tears,
And heard you tell your hopes and fears;
Your hearts with love have seemed to flame,
Which makes me hope we'll meet again.
Ye mourning souls, in sad surprise,
Jesus remembers all your cries;
Oh, trust His grace, in Canaan's land
We'll no more take the parting hand.

(And there are more stanzas in some books)

 

This one is my second most favorite, a great combination of text and tune, in my opinion. The tune is by Thomas Jefferson Allen (deceased) of Shady Grove, Pike County, Alabama. He was a member of Shady Grove Baptist Church. I could not find a recording of the tune on the internet.

We Shall Meet Again. L.M.

1. Come, Holy Spirit, now impart,
Join ev'ry voice, join ev'ry heart;
Help us, O Lord, our voices raise,
And sing the great Redeemer's praise.

2. Dear brethren, we may meet no more
This side the bright, celestial shore;
But when relieved from toil and pain,
Dear brethren, we shall meet again.

The text is an adaptation of Henry Kirke White's hymn, which includes "Christians! Brethren! ere we part, join every voice and every heart; One solemn hymn to God we raise--one final song of grateful praise." (Hymn 5 in The Remains of Henry Kirke White, Volume III, by Robert Southey)

 

That hymn is in C. H. Cayce's The Good Old Songs. Don't have the book with me, so I don't know what tune he puts it with. It will work with the Minister's Farewell tune in The Sacred Harp. And here is a different version sung at Pilgrim Rest Primitive Baptist Church at Butler, Georgia:
Ye pilgrims, that are wand'ring home

Your mention of Goble made me think of The Primitive Hymns, Spiritual Songs, and Sacred Poems by Benjamin Lloyd. Lloyd has 14 hymns in his "Farewell" section.

# First line Meter
613 My Christian friends in bonds of love L.M.
614 See how the wicked kingdom 7s.6s.
615 With gladness dear brethren we met at this place 11s.
616 Dear friends, farewell, I do you tell C.M.
617 Farewell my friends, I must be gone P.M.
618 Farewell my dear brethren, the time is at hand 11s.
619 Lord, when we here together meet C.M.
620 Blest be the dear uniting love C.M.
621 My brethren, farewell, I do you now tell P.M.
622 And now, my dear brethren, I bid you farewell 11s.
623 The time is swiftly rolling on C.M.
624 When shall we all meet again 7s. (6 lines)
625 O happy day, when saints shall meet L.M.
626 Ye pilgrims, that are wand'ring home C.M.

 

Yea, might have thought of a better title, on second thought.

 

In relation to hymns of farewell or parting, commenters might also add whether it is common in your church to have a parting or farewell hymn. It is not something we do in every church service, but do so on occasion -- for example, when we have a visiting preacher, etc. We regularly sing a parting hymn at our singing conventions, though.